


Cold As You

by igi_pigi



Category: Cricket RPF
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 12:13:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9896012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igi_pigi/pseuds/igi_pigi
Summary: No one can handle a post-break up Virat Kohli, except a certain MS Dhoni.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Set right before Asia Cup 2016.
> 
> Dialogue is in Hindi, English translation side by side.

MS Dhoni is a happy man flying down to Dhaka. Sri Lanka series done, all set for the Asia Cup now.

People are calling India the favorites already. But MS knows better. There are no favorites. It's always down to hard work and dedication. Doing well here would be an excellent confidence booster going into the World Cup.

World Cup though, he is not going to debate the massive favouritism there. Playing on home soil, they have to win it for the local crowd. They just have to.

In that respect, this T20 series with Sri Lanka proved a good warm up after all. Some new combinations were tried out, some players were tested. And always nice to win without the one player whom everyone likes to think is the one man army.

Virat Kohli may be the MVP of the Indian team, but this team doesn't want to be dependent on him. It's actually good that he got rested for the series, and is joining them for the Asia Cup straight away. Management could try new things to see how they fare without him. And he really does deserve a rest after the non stop cricket he has had in the past few months.

Poor him though, he looks visibly miserable ever since his relationship has ended. MS doesn't know the details, nor is that any of his business. What he does know is that it was a really, really nasty break up, which left him devastated. What he knows better is that nobody in the team has dared to even look Virat's way ever since he has joined back.

He was in a 2 and a half year long committed relationship when he left for home after the Australian T20 tour. And now that he is joining back, 3 weeks and an ugly break up later, everyone steers clear of him, not wanting to irk him. Clever folks!

So MS was by default left to sit beside him on the flight to Dhaka, and he was unusually (though expectedly) quiet during the whole trip. MS deduced it to be better to not prod him.

  
Flying to the host city on Saturday for the inaugural match of the Asia Cup on Wednesday, Sunday became an off day leaving the next two days for training and prep.

Walking out for a stroll early on the Sunday morning, MS casually enquired for his vice captain to take him along. Being told that he was just now seen entering the hotel gym, he settled for going alone and not disturbing him.

Back from the walk and after having breakfast, then a briefing with the team support staff, Virat is still nowhere to be seen. MS questions few teammates, to find out that nobody has seen him get out of the gym. Also, everyone collectively decided to skip gym today. Clever folks!

Now MS is a bit worried. Virat usually trains for not more than 2 hours and even that is too much for him, he keeps telling him. It's been 4 hours now.

Maybe he sneaked out of the gym and went straight to sleep or something. Maybe he went out. Whatever it was, MS is about to find out, as he finds himself walking towards the gym.

Opening the door, he calls out for Virat but is startled by a loud thumping noise of a barbell being dropped. He rushes inside in horror.

A heavy barbell lies on the floor, away from where it should be placed, clearly dropped and not put down. A sweat drenched Virat can be seen on all fours, head hung low, sans a t shirt, panting.

"Kya kar kya raha hai- Tu theek hai? [ _What even are you doing- Are you okay?_ ]" MS asks the obvious. Virat doesn't look up, only nods in the affirmative to answer the latter question.

Obviously not content with the answer, MS looks around for it. The t shirt hangs from the exercise cycle handle, drying off. The barbell is clearly too heavy for him. The guy already lifts a heavier than standard bar, but this is even heavier. Okay so this freak trained like crazy for 4 hours and then tried to lift a bar heavier than his usual one? What exactly is he up to?

MS again questions what the hell is going on? Virat finally looks up and casually says, "'Was working out" trying to look buoyant, and failing at it. MS knows him better than that.

"Subah pucha tere liye toh kehte ki gym me hai. 4 ghante ho gaye aur tu abhi bhi yahin hai. Kya irada hai, aaj hi kar lega saari? [ _I asked for you in the morning and they said you were in the gym. It's been 4 hours now and you're still here. What are you up to exactly, planning to do all of it in a single day?_ ]"

"Bola toh muscle build karni hai. Time toh dena padega na. [ _I said I am building muscle. Gotta give my time to it._ ]" he says in rebuttal, finding his feat and standing up now. MS can't help but notice that he looks more ripped than ever. Like, really really ripped! Yeah well, training for 4 hours a day does that to you. And he was in terrific shape already.

"Abe 4 ghante kon karta hai? Aur tere ko toh bilkul bhi zarurat nahi hai. [ _So who does it for 4 hours a day? And you of all people definitely don't need to._ ]" MS counters back, gesturing with his hand towards his sculpted torso.

Virat sighs, making up his mind that any more explanation further is useless. He starts going towards the barbell to lift it again. Wow, what an asshole! MS is appalled. He grabs him by his arm.

"Arre- Kya badtameezi hai?! Chhor isse. [ _Hey- What the hell?!  Just leave that._ ]" he snaps. Unfazed by Virat's sneering, he continues, "Kya chal raha hai ye... Pagal ho gaya hai? Marna chahta hai? [ _What's going on? Have you lost it? Trying to kill yourself or what?_ ]"

"Kuch kaam tha aapko, dhoondh rahe the mujhe? [ _Did you need anything with me, that you are searching for me like this?_ ]" Virat asks with a straight face. Ofcourse, steering the conversation away.

"Arre 4 ghante se gayab hai tu, kuch ata pata nahi! I was concerned about you- [ _I mean, you've been missing for 4 hours! I was concerned about you-_ ]"

"-ki mai kuch harkat na kar du? Sabne pagal samjha hua hai mujhe. [ _-that I must have pulled some stunt? You all like to think I'm totally crazy._ ]"

He sounds... hurt.

"Toh matlab ye aaj ka naatak nahi hai. [ _So this drama isn't for just today._ ]" It's more of an observation by MS than anything else. Definitely not an accusation.

"Kya zarurat thi mujhe pichli series se hatwaane ki? [ _Why did you get me out of the last series?_ ]" Virat again distracts from whatever MS was on to, but this time it wasn't intentional. It just slips out of him, that he might as well ask away what's bothering him, now that they are having an argument about everything in the world. "Kam se kam wahan hota toh thoda dhyaan hat jata- [ _It would've atleast gotten my mind off things had I been there-_ ]"

"Maine nai hatwaya, bhai. [ _It wasn't me, bro._ ]" MS falls for the bait anyway. "Management ne bola ki tujhe rest dena hai. Mujhe laga tune maanga hoga. Maine kaha 'theek hai'! [ _Management said that you were to be rested. I assumed you would have asked for it then. I said 'okay'._ ]"

Virat shakes his head, silently saying that he should have talked to him. Well shit, he really should have. So he explains himself some more, hoping to lighten things up a bit along the way. "Tujhe lagta hai mai tere manpower k liye saamne se mana karunga ki 'nai bhai, humko haarna hai'?! [ _You really think I would upfront deny for your manpower, like 'you know what, we'd like to lose this time'?!_ ]"

Virat's death stare does not falter. Well.

It dawns upon MS now. Wanting distractions, insane workout sessions... "Oh, toh matlab ye nautanki tab se hi chal rahi hai? [ _Oh, so this madness has been going on since then?_ ]"

"Haan, ye mai tab se kar raha hu jab se mera break up hua hai. Khush? Pad gayi thandak? [ _Yes, I've been doing this since my break up. Okay? Are you happy now?_ ]" Virat can't take it anymore, his words and voice higher than they should be. "Aur mujhe iske liye har koi suna chuka hai. Ek aap hi reh gaye the. [ _And everyone has given me hell over it. Only you were left._ ]" he waves his hand towards MS, that yes, even he has done it now.

MS feels a sudden anger rising at this accusation. Being concerned for him is vexing to him? What an asshole!

"Ek thappad lagaunga tere. Chal band kar ye aur chal yahan se. Ek ladki kya chhor gayi, pagal hi ho gaya hai! [ _Seriously I'll smack you if you don't shut up. Stop this nonsense right now and let's get out of here. Freakin losing it over a chick dumping you!_ ]" the words escape him before he can stop himself.

Virat can only stare at him wide eyed. MS knows he didn't expect him to say something like that. Something so pedestrian, tabloid-like. Something people who don't know him would say. And MS is not one of them.

"Wow, thanks!" he responds a moment later, and reaches for his t shirt on the cycle handle. "Ab yahan bhi apni marzi nahi chalegi meri! [ _Can't have my way anywhere!_ ]" MS hears him say to himself as he hastily puts it on.

Okay yes, that was low, MS shouldn't have said that. He opens his mouth to apologise and feels the air being knocked out of him as Virat shoves him out of his way and leaves the gym. He had started to move towards the door as soon as he had put the t shirt on and hadn't seen that his captain was going to say something as he hadn't really raised his head up after MS' glorified comment.

MS is left standing in the gym alone, holding his right rib cage, seething with anger. But somewhere, he feels guilt as well. He could have been a bit easy on his friend, even though the aforementioned friend wasn't to him. But that is excusable, he is emotionally vulnerable right now.

Maybe he was just releasing his pent up energy here in the gym, nothing more than that and nothing wrong with that. He knows his stuff, he wouldn't overdo it. Maybe MS over reacted. If he wasn't lecturing him from the get go, Virat wouldn't have shouted back either. Everyone's got something or the other to say for the guy, MS should have been different. Should have held back maybe, and let him be. Maybe he himself would have opened up then.

Too late.

Consumed in his guilt, MS vaguely looks around, eyes landing on the barbell. How heavy is it really? He absentmindedly reaches for it. Wraps his palms around the rod and pulls. Nope, too heavy. Never touching it again.

He is moving towards the door to leave when his eyes catch something flashy - Virat's phone. He must have left it here by mistake. One is bound to when gym sessions end like that.

He picks it up. He is supposed to put it in his pocket and return it to his friend as soon as he sees him next. Why is he fidgeting with it? Why is he trying to remember if Virat had ever told him his password? Oh yeah, it's his dog. Ofcourse it's his dog.

He doesn't know what makes him type "bruno" and unlock the phone. He is not, has never been the one to sneak around. But he's really concerned about his buddy. He just needs to know that he is fine, because he sure as hell doesn't look like it.

He opens the call log (can't do texts, that would be mutiny). Only outgoing calls fill the page. All of them to only one contact - Nushie. Not one was picked.

*

MS stealthily opens the door to Virat's room. Having knocked here 5 minutes ago and getting no response told him that he was most probably asleep in his bed.

MS had left the gym to once again look for Virat, this time to return his phone back to him. He had seen what he shouldn't have.

His search ended at Virat's room. Turns out he went straight to his room after the gym. And MS had to get the other keys from the reception so he could sneak in and put the damn phone there and avoid handing it back to him personally.

He sighs in relief when he sees Virat sleeping. Lying on his stomach, face buried in the pillow and practically hugging it, the other pillow under his leg, and half the blanket on the floor. Kiddo!

MS sighs, puts the phone on the bedside table and pulls the blanket over him. His hair looks wet, though not from sweat this time but because of showering before crashing the bed, the lack of a t shirt confirms so.

He looks so child-like innocent sleeping. MS can't resist putting his hand on his head and stroking through his wet hair. Poor kid, he'll get through this. He's a tough guy. If he wasn't so dickishly stubborn though. Listen to your friend/captain, he means well. Stop calling the lady like maniacs if she is not responding, you are only hurting yourself like this.

Well, this is Virat he is talking about (to himself, nonetheless). He has always been like that, this freak. And he loves him just the way he is. He'll find his way, MS knows. He shakes his head fondly and finally leaves the room.

*

In the evening, some players are out enjoying the local beauty of Dhaka, some can be found at the hotel pool. Some hit the gym for light training. A certain player was still in his room, probably still out after that masochistic 4 hour gym session.

MS Dhoni sits with fielding coach R Sridhar, discussing the Asia Cup opener. They had some things regarding the Sri Lanka series they had been meaning to talk out. MS is engrossed in the discussion and nodding along with his coach's words.

Sridhar stops mid sentence, looking above MS' head. MS turns. Virat stands in a lose, unironed white shirt and cream color pants. Eyes puffy, hair not exactly set, expressions groggy - he just woke up.

"Hey." he greets with a curt smile, voice still sleepy. Unfazed by MS not responding, he continues. "Sorry... Mujhe aise nahi kehna chahiye tha. [ _Sorry... I shouldn't have said all that._ ]"

MS side eyes Sridhar, who sports an understanding look. But these few seconds are too much for Virat.

"Sorry bol toh diya. [ _See I said sorry._ ]"

MS really doesn't know what to say.

"Sorry na, kitne bhaav khaaoge ab? [ _Sorry na, stop with the tantrums will ya?_ ]"

Jesus, this kid. MS looks up, looks him in the eyes. And pulls up a funny face, sticking his tongue out. Virat bursts into a coy laughter. It's may not be hearty, but it's real.

MS couldn't have said 'I forgive' to his friend, out loud. How douchey would that be? He is the one who should be sorry in the first place anyway. The guy was already on a low, and all he did was made him feel miserable for it. Making a funny face, eliciting a laugh out of him and assuring (himself?) that all is well between the two seemed like the best idea. Even Sridhar laughed at his attempt.

"Chalo bahar chalo, ghoomte hain. Dimag thanda karna hai. [ _Come on, let's go out. Got to cool down._ ]" he asks, like the child that he is. MS would have gone anyway, they don't need an 'excuse'.

MS winds up his stuff to take Sridhar's leave. Virat hangs around at the door, explaining his red puffy eyes to Sridhar. He wasn't crying, he overslept, he was tired from the workout, give him a break.

MS is expecting a question regarding the phone, but it never comes. Does he even know he had left it behind? He would have come back for it then. Whatever it is, let it remain a mystery MS never wants to touch on again. Virat should never know that his trusted friend looked through his phone like a creep. End of.

When they finally leave the room together, Virat is laughing and goofing and smiling. Not up to his usual zeal, but he is getting there. He will get there.

MS knows that Virat isn't going to even touch on his trainwreck relationship during this walk. He'll talk about everything in the world but not that, as usual. That's not why he had asked for a walk to begin with. And MS is totally fine with that. He doesn't need to know about all that. All he needs to know is that his brother is going to be fine. And if his smile right now is anything to go by, he absolutely will be.


End file.
